On 23 June, 19:45, CJB wrote:
On Jun 23, 7:05*pm, SB wrote:

Trains cancelled to Worcester. Trains cancelled to Wales and West
Country. Trains cancelled to Oxford and Bourne End and also to Henley.
All other trains subject to huge delays. Reason = 'signalling
problems' in the West Drayton area from last night = 'vandalism' in
the Iver area = Pikeys cut the signal cables to burn off the plastic
and sell the copper. SB

Got this email from FGW CS:

Dear Sir or Madam:

Due to the theft of signalling cable at West Drayton, an extremely
limited train service is able to operate between London Paddington and
Reading.

Network Rail?s Engineering Team are working as hard as possible to
resolve this issue, but due to the amount of cable removed, disruption
is likely to continue until 2200 this evening.

If you are planning on travelling today, we strongly advise that you
checkwww.firstgreatwestern.co.ukfor further information.

Whilst we will make every effort to operate the advertised train
service, we do strongly recommend that you leave extra time for your
journey.

We apologise for any potential disruption to your journey.

First Great Westernwww.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

This seems to have occurred in daylight and involved a substantial
length of 48 core signalling cable. The area is dotted with scrapyards
and infested with parasitic pikeys.

On Jun 23, 9:41*pm, "
wrote:
On 23 June, 19:45, CJB wrote:





On Jun 23, 7:05*pm, SB wrote:

Trains cancelled to Worcester. Trains cancelled to Wales and West
Country. Trains cancelled to Oxford and Bourne End and also to Henley..
All other trains subject to huge delays. Reason = 'signalling
problems' in the West Drayton area from last night = 'vandalism' in
the Iver area = Pikeys cut the signal cables to burn off the plastic
and sell the copper. SB

Got this email from FGW CS:

Dear Sir or Madam:

Due to the theft of signalling cable at West Drayton, an extremely
limited train service is able to operate between London Paddington and
Reading.

Network Rail?s Engineering Team are working as hard as possible to
resolve this issue, but due to the amount of cable removed, disruption
is likely to continue until 2200 this evening.

If you are planning on travelling today, we strongly advise that you
checkwww.firstgreatwestern.co.ukforfurther information.

Whilst we will make every effort to operate the advertised train
service, we do strongly recommend that you leave extra time for your
journey.

We apologise for any potential disruption to your journey.

First Great Westernwww.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

This seems to have occurred in daylight and involved a substantial
length of 48 core signalling cable. The area is dotted with scrapyards
and infested with parasitic pikeys.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10398387.stm

Says 300 ft of cabling.

CJB.

"CJB" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 9:41 pm, "
wrote:
On 23 June, 19:45, CJB wrote:





On Jun 23, 7:05 pm, SB wrote:

Trains cancelled to Worcester. Trains cancelled to Wales and West
Country. Trains cancelled to Oxford and Bourne End and also to Henley.
All other trains subject to huge delays. Reason = 'signalling
problems' in the West Drayton area from last night = 'vandalism' in
the Iver area = Pikeys cut the signal cables to burn off the plastic
and sell the copper. SB

Is there not a way that a spare core or two of the cable could carry a nice
deterrent voltage to stop this?

(probably banned cos of elf n safety!)

Kev

In message
"Kev Lawrence" wrote:


"CJB" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 9:41 pm, "
wrote:
On 23 June, 19:45, CJB wrote:





On Jun 23, 7:05 pm, SB wrote:

Trains cancelled to Worcester. Trains cancelled to Wales and West
Country. Trains cancelled to Oxford and Bourne End and also to Henley.
All other trains subject to huge delays. Reason = 'signalling
problems' in the West Drayton area from last night = 'vandalism' in
the Iver area = Pikeys cut the signal cables to burn off the plastic
and sell the copper. SB

Is there not a way that a spare core or two of the cable could carry a nice
deterrent voltage to stop this?


Wouldn't stop them trying. There was a case recently of someone electrocuted
in a sub-station trying to steal the main feeder!

Many years ago, when I lived in Nairobi, thieves stole a great chunk (about a
mile) of the main umpteen KV feeder between the town and the airport!

--
Graeme Wall

This address not read, substitute trains for rail
Transport Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail
Photo galleries at http://graeme-wall.fotopic.net/

On 24 June, 08:23, Graeme wrote:

Wouldn't stop them trying. *There was a case recently of someone electrocuted
in a sub-station trying to steal the main feeder!

Indeed, whilst not sure whats in the sub stations worth recovering - I
assume it's copper? - a quick look at many sub stations in 3rd rail
territory (there are so many) reveals palisade fencing and now even
Gatso style cameras.

I don't think I will be giving away state secrets to advise that these
cameras are very real and monitored very well indeed. This additional
security over the last few years certainly seems to be more related to
copper fairies than to stupid yoofs having a lark about.


Richard

In article
s.com, Fat richard scribeth thus
On 24 June, 08:23, Graeme wrote:

Wouldn't stop them trying. *There was a case recently of someone electrocuted
in a sub-station trying to steal the main feeder!

Indeed, whilst not sure whats in the sub stations worth recovering - I
assume it's copper? - a quick look at many sub stations in 3rd rail
territory (there are so many) reveals palisade fencing and now even
Gatso style cameras.


Yes its copper. At several telecoms sites up and down the UK they've now
converted the lightning protection systems to Aluminium which of course
doesn't fetch the same price as Copper, so doesn't get nicked as much if
at all!....

I don't think I will be giving away state secrets to advise that these
cameras are very real and monitored very well indeed. This additional
security over the last few years certainly seems to be more related to
copper fairies than to stupid yoofs having a lark about.

Indeed...


Richard

--
Tony Sayer

On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 07:43:08 +0100 someone who may be "Kev Lawrence"
wrote this:-

Is there not a way that a spare core or two of the cable could carry a nice
deterrent voltage to stop this?

If they steal the wrong cable they have to contend with the
signalling supply, up to 650V.

A core of the cable could carry a higher voltage, if the insulation
of all cores is suitable for the higher voltage and this is
maintained throughout the system. However, what would happen to
signalling components if exposed to a higher voltage? Vital
signalling equipment needs to be treated with care if the potential
for a crash is to remain as low as reasonably practical.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000...#pt3-pb3-l1g54

Kev Lawrence wrote:
"CJB" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 9:41 pm, "
wrote:
On 23 June, 19:45, CJB wrote:





On Jun 23, 7:05 pm, SB wrote:
Trains cancelled to Worcester. Trains cancelled to Wales and West
Country. Trains cancelled to Oxford and Bourne End and also to Henley.
All other trains subject to huge delays. Reason = 'signalling
problems' in the West Drayton area from last night = 'vandalism' in
the Iver area = Pikeys cut the signal cables to burn off the plastic
and sell the copper. SB

Is there not a way that a spare core or two of the cable could carry a nice
deterrent voltage to stop this?

(probably banned cos of elf n safety!)

Kev


A better way might be to have one core with an 'active' TDR ping.

Time Domain Reflectometry sends a pulse down a wire, and recieves a
reflection from any defect, be it conductor or insulator.

This way ('cos of speed of light..) you can tell instantly exactly here
a cable is being damaged, and signal control center could arrange for
police to arrive on site..

It wouldn't work just for theft, but for any location, say where water
was getting into insulators.

Jim Chisholm

In article , J. Chisholm
scribeth thus
Kev Lawrence wrote:
"CJB" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 9:41 pm, "
wrote:
On 23 June, 19:45, CJB wrote:





On Jun 23, 7:05 pm, SB wrote:
Trains cancelled to Worcester. Trains cancelled to Wales and West
Country. Trains cancelled to Oxford and Bourne End and also to Henley.
All other trains subject to huge delays. Reason = 'signalling
problems' in the West Drayton area from last night = 'vandalism' in
the Iver area = Pikeys cut the signal cables to burn off the plastic
and sell the copper. SB

Is there not a way that a spare core or two of the cable could carry a nice
deterrent voltage to stop this?

(probably banned cos of elf n safety!)

Kev


A better way might be to have one core with an 'active' TDR ping.

Time Domain Reflectometry sends a pulse down a wire, and recieves a
reflection from any defect, be it conductor or insulator.

This way ('cos of speed of light..) you can tell instantly exactly here
a cable is being damaged, and signal control center could arrange for
police to arrive on site..

Err .. right.. Ever tried to get old bill to turn up with any urgency in
recent times?...

It wouldn't work just for theft, but for any location, say where water
was getting into insulators.

It wouldn't necessarily work for that either..

Think about it..

Jim Chisholm

--
Tony Sayer

On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:14:01 +0100 someone who may be tony sayer
wrote this:-

This way ('cos of speed of light..) you can tell instantly exactly here
a cable is being damaged, and signal control center could arrange for
police to arrive on site..

Err .. right.. Ever tried to get old bill to turn up with any urgency in
recent times?...

Telling them that there is someone with a camera seems to work well.

The other one, possibly just a rural joke, is to tell them that they
need not bother any more, as one has now shot the intruders they
didn't have anyone available to deal with.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000...#pt3-pb3-l1g54